Are you an alien or a citizen? If you’re a citizen, do you have dual citizenship?
Before you answer, please know I’m not talking about earthly citizenship. I’m talking about Philippians 3:20, which tells us, “Our citizenship is in heaven.”
Christians are just passing through this temporary world. Where once we were “foreigners and aliens” in God’s kingdom, now we are “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19). And since we are to look to the heavenly kingdom, we are to “set [our] minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).
How well do you and I live as citizens of heaven while living on earth? Sadly, many of us are more concerned with our earthly citizenship than our heavenly one.
Getting involved in the political process is a good thing.
Looking to government to solve all our problems is not.
Being a responsible earthly citizen is a good thing.
Forgetting we have a dual citizenship is not.
Becoming angry over values that conflict with God’s Word is a good thing.
Arrogantly cursing those who hold those values is not.
How will an unbelieving world come to know the King of Creation if His subjects don’t behave differently from unbelievers? The apostle Paul wrote, “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone” (Titus 3:1-2).
Does this passage describe you and me? Are our conversations gentle with others, regardless of their party affiliation?
Our behavior should proclaim our dual citizenship as clearly as our passports do. There’s nothing wrong with Christians getting excited about the politics of our nation. But don’t forget about the other kingdom…and that, as Christians, we are subjects of the King who rules there.
